Finger painting for grown-ups

It’s almost time for ArtWalk San Diego, one of the most popular street festivals in town.

Every April, hundreds of fine artists gather in Little Italy to showcase everything from original paintings and sculptures to photography and jewelry-making.

One of the exhibitors you’ll meet on April 27 and 28 is Gabriela Alvarez. The Chicago-born, Mexico-bred artist specializes in finger painting. Yes, that same technique kids learn in preschool is the inspiration for her works, which she calls fingerprinting paintings.

She begins with primary colors — yellow, red and blue. Then she layers those to get secondary colors and creates an image in various shades. She will be doing demonstrations every 30 minutes at the event that also features music, dance, food and more.

Alvarez, 30, who moved to San Diego in 2006 to continue her art education at SDSU, tells us about her work.

Q: When did you first discover your love of art?

A: As a young child I loved to color and draw. I became more aware of it by the age of nine, and wanted to draw images that I saw on T-shirts or stickers that I really liked. I made drawings as gifts to my family and always received compliments in return. That really motivated me to continue drawing.

Q: What was the first painting of which you were really proud?

A: When I was 14-years-old and made my first oil painting, a still life of a brass looking pitcher with a pear and a bowl of grapes on a table. This painting was very important to me because I took classes with an aunt and she taught me how to see a color from the original image and know which colors to mix together to obtain it. After a month working on this painting, a couple times a week, I had a better understanding of looking at color and knowing what colors to use. That teaching has remained with me.

Q: What role do animals play in your work?

A: Animals are just so unique and interesting, and that influences me to paint texture or make texture on my paintings. I love making portraits of them, too!

Q: Does your time growing up in Mexico influence your art? How?

A: Yes it does. I learned from many people around me and from my culture. There are strong artists and people in my Mexican history that influence me to push forward in what I love.

Q: What is adult finger painting, and how will you be showing it at ArtWalk?

A: Finger painting is a process of making fingerprints with paint and layering them from light colors to dark colors and create an image. I will give demonstrations in groups every 30 minutes and give tips and guide the art participants. This is for all ages and everyone who has not tried painting with their fingers might be surprised of how much they will like it.